And sales of heels look set to fall flat, as 59 per cent of women said they preferred to buy flat shoes, compared to just 12 per cent who would rather don heels.

And that could be down to a desire for comfort over style, as three-quarters (74 per cent) who bought shoes last year said feeling comfortable was more important than fashion.

And 39 per cent said they opted for sporty or casual styles of shoes, compared to just one in five (21 per cent) who preferred formal styles of shoes.

Tamara Sender, senior fashion analyst at Mintel, said: “For the first time ever sales of trainers have overtaken high heels.

“The UK sportswear market has seen strong growth in the last year and there has been a trend for consumers to integrate sports clothing into their daily wardrobes, meaning trainers have also become more popular among women, overtaking heels to become the second favourite item of footwear after flat shoes.

“Athletic footwear is increasingly being used for everyday non-sporting activities showing that trainers are now more likely to be used for non-sports use.

“Women aged 35 to 44 have become the main trainer buyers proving the trend is no longer limited to younger consumers.”